Study on Reproduction and Production Performance of Buffaloes and Management Practices Adopted by Member and Non-member Groups of Dairy Cooperatives in Jaipur (Rajasthan)

Study was conducted to assess the performance of buffaloes and to find out the existing health and milking management practices adopted by member and non-member households of dairy co-operatives in Jaipur district of Rajasthan. An analysis of data revealed that Overall age at first calving in member and non-member groups was 47.45±0.20 and 49.89±0.20 months, respectively. Average age at first calving was lowest in small farmers and highest in marginal farmers. Overall average dry period was 135.64±1.39 in member and 150.06±1.45 days in non-member families. Dry period reduced as farm size increased in both the groups. Overall lactation length was 321.08±0.95 and 308.45±0.71 days in members and non-members, respectively. Lactation length increased with increased farm size. Overall inter calving period was almost similar (457.44±2.34 and 458.51±2.16 days) and overall total lactation milk yield was 1936.09±9.56 and 1645.91±13.57 lit. in member and non-member families, respectively. Overall adoption of vaccination and deworming was much higher (61.67 and 75.83 percent) in member households in comparison to non-member households (23.30 and 31.67 percent). Majority (56.67%) of member families control the ticks and lice by spraying /dusting the insecticides, whereas majority (60.0%) of non-member families control the external parasites manually. Most of the (84.17%) member families preferred qualified veterinarian for treatment to their sick animals. However nearly half (52.50%) of the non-member households preferred village Gunni. Isolation of sick animal from rest of the herd was adopted by 58.33 percent households in member, whereas 71.76 percent households not followed this practice in non-member. Dipping of teats after milking for control of mastitis was not adopted in both the groups. However significant higher percentage (16.17) of household in member families followed this practice in comparison to non members (5.83%). Knuckling method of milking was common in both the groups. All the households allow the calf to suckle to the buffalo before and after milking. Significant higher percentage (55.83) in member families maintained regular interval between two milking than non-members. Most of the households milked at same unhygienic places. Milkers hands and utensils were cleaned by all the households in both the groups before milking.